Our Vineyards

Each wine made at Barnett Vineyards is either Estate Bottled, from Spring Mountain or from a single vineyard in another viticulture district that we have chosen. The wines, therefore, are inextricably linked to the vineyards from which they come from.

The Estate Vineyards are all located at the top of Spring Mountain. The majority of the vineyards are terraced on slopes that are 30 degrees or more. The original estate vines are almost 30 years old and are planted on a 6x10 grid. In the past few years much of the original vineyard has undergone redevelopment and now vines are spaced 4x4. The topography is so steep and the plantings are so closely spaced that traditional farming methods such as tractors and disking are not possible. The Estate Vineyards are completely farmed by hand from bud break until harvest. The vineyards are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Both soil content and weather contribute to the uniqueness of the Estate Wines. The soils are poor in nutrients and contain much rock, the richer topsoil having washed down to the valley floor many years ago. This poorer soil makes the vines work harder to produce fruit, the results being smaller crops, and smaller more intensely flavored berries. The location and elevation of the property contribute substantially to the characteristics of the wine. The coastal fog which covers the floor of the Napa Valley most mornings during the growing season seldom reaches the top of Spring Mountain thus giving our vineyards several hours of sunlight each day of which the valley floor is deprived. The elevation keeps our temperatures an average of 8-10 degrees cooler all year which usually results in later bud break and a later harvest than vineyards located at lower elevations.

While the main focus of Barnett Vineyards is the Estate Vineyards and wine, the other wines we produce are made from neighboring vineyards on Spring Mountain or single vineyards from other AVAs that we favor. These wines are also an expression of place and climate. To learn more about the details of each vineyards and wine click on to the wine of your choice on the left of this page.